Scotland 5

Spare a thought for people living in Scotland or Wales, or if you live in Scotland or Wales spare a thought for yourself. The 3G coverage maps released by Ofcom show a distinct lack of a 3G network in those areas. In fact there is a distinct lack of coverage in any rural area in the UK.
The maps show that 3 is the network with the most 3G coverage, closely followed by Orange. O2 comes last - supporting our theory that O2 is, in fact, a bit rubbish.
Ofcom said: "For 3G network coverage there is still a noticeable difference between rural and urban areas, and also between different parts of the UK, with coverage problems a particular issue in the devolved nations."
3G is becoming ever more important, especially with the new generation of smartphones which rely on good coverage and fast connections in order for their features and apps to run smoothly. The maps paint a bleak picture of a network that isn't really supporting the smart devices.
What's the answer? Well, see these related posts for possible alternatives and solutions: Will WiMax or LTE win out? | Femtocells - much more than a signal booster
(via The Press Association)

Residents of Dundee will soon be able to say they have something in common with the people of Bournemouth, as it becomes the first city in Scotland to have fibre optic cabling installed in its sewer system.
It's not clear when H20 will begin work in Dundee's dank and smelly underworld, but when it's complete, super-fast 100Mbps broadband should be available to everyone - at least, those who are prepared to pay for it...

- A loose-lipped exec has blabbed that there will indeed be Google apps available on the Apple iPhone, ending millennia of mass hype and hysteria.
- Broadband is more popular in Scotland than anywhere else in Britain, with more 50% of residents using high-speed connections to access .jpegs of sheep and perfectly formed black pudding.
- Ending a five-year legal battle, CD-Wow have been ordered to pay the UK record industry £41 million for importing cheap CDs...

Apple has confirmed that it plans to open a new retail store in Glasgow. It will be Scotland's first Apple Store, and brings the company's UK tally to ten. A little further afield, Apple will also open a store in...

According to the Scotsman, Scotland faces a new 'broadband divide' caused by a lack of competition between broadband providers in more rural areas. A new report entitled "Next Generation Broadband in Scotland" analysed the state of Scottish broadband provision, and...